This could have been a great book with a bit more editing. There were times when it was repetitive and would have been improved by some of the biographical information saved for a second book. I think Lisa Edwards and her husband Laurence are to be greatly admired for being so patient with Boo. I had never heard of cerebellar hypoplasia and it is amazing how well they did by Boo in giving him what he needed. While I knew that therapy dogs were good for people, I was amazed by some of the stories she related about how effective the dogs were.

I recommend this book for people who are recovering from abusive childhoods. I also recommend this book for those who love dogs or helping people with disabilities

Note: I would like to see another book from Lisa Edwards but I hope she gets a better editor. ( )

Lisa Edwards didn't need another dog when found an abandoned litter being offered for sale in a local pet supply store. She already had two dogs, two cats, a painful chronic medical condition, and a husband with Crohn's disease still recovering from a serious medical crisis during the summer. And it was Halloween; winter would be closing in soon. It's a terrible time of year to raise a puppy.

So naturally she brought home the clumsy, uncoordinated runt of the litter.

Boo struggled with basic things like potty training, remembering simple commands when in the presence of other dogs, terrifying experiences like riding in Lisa's truck. He's constantly walking into things. With two well-trained adult dogs, the younger of whom, Dante, is a successful therapy dog, and a nascent career as a dog trainer, owning Boo is in many ways a humbling experience for Lisa.

It's also a healing experience. He's a year old when Lisa discovers the cause of many of his challenges--and just how severe those challenges are: Boo has cerebellar hyperplasia. He can't see clearly, he doesn't have full control of limbs, and he's probably mildly retarded. What he has going for him is a sunny personality and a love of people and other dogs. As Lisa understands and accepts Boo's handicaps, they start to make real progress. She also learns to understand and accept her own strengths and weaknesses--and those of her parents and siblings.

The clumsy little runt begins to heal and transform the lives of everyone around him.

This is a wonderful story of our love for dogs and the importance of the human-animal bond, and Boo is a delightful dog you'll love getting to know.

Recommended.

I borrowed this book from a friend. ( )

Interesting story even though the writing isn't always compelling. Worth the read if you are a dog lover as it reinforces what you know about the healing power of dogs ( and pets). ( )

Good story, easy read, great narrator - Recommend. If you are into dogs you'll probably like this story. The author writes so well you feel you're on the couch listening to her tell you stories about her dogs and life. There are a couple of overly dramatic bits about both her life and her dogs' livesbut they don't overshadow the interesting story of Boo and how he overcomes some limitations to become a wonderful therapy dog. Personally, as someone who attempts to train dogs, I also appreciated the tidbits of training philosophy. ( )

Bought from BWB to read before passing along, Lisa kind of fell into dog therapy training. The story centers around Boo, a "disabled" dog who she found as a puppy. She already had two adult dogs and two cats (and a hubby), when she rescued Boo. She weaves the story around her life story during Boo's life, a little of her earlier life, what a "service dog" really is (and it's a lot more and diverse than I ever thought). There are lots of organizations, certifications, and places for almost any type of dog to fit. There's also a lot of handler tricks of the trade that I had no idea about. Boo was a very special dog, but I think all of her animals were special in their own ways. ( )